Can Olly win his first Caulfield Cup in 16 years?
Damien Oliver is shooting for his fifth Caulfield Cup and first in 16 years, and he thinks the European-trained Snow Sky could get him there.
Oliver was asked to ride the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Snow Sky as soon as it was entered for Saturday’s Caulfield Cup and he has since fallen in love with the stallion.
The Hall of Fame jockey was impressed with its track work at Werribee on Sunday, stating it was a “high class” galloper.
“He’s a lovely horse, the sort of horse you fall in love with when you ride them,” Oliver said.
“He’s got a great attitude, a great action, he comes across really well.”
Oliver hasn’t won the Caulfield Cup since winning with Sky Heights in 1999, a win that was his fourth Caulfied Cup triumph in eight years (Mannerism, Paris Lane, Doriemus) and he is hopeful Snow Sky can break his drought.
Oliver watched Snow Sky win the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes when he was at Royal Ascot to ride Wandjina. He thinks its racing pattern of going forward will help, but its European form is what impressed him the most.
“That’s usually a high-class race – I didn’t know he was coming out then, I just watched him with interest, and saw that he won well,” Oliver said.
“So when I found out he was coming out he was definitely on the radar.”
Snow Sky will have to carry 58kg in order to win the Caulfield Cup and only two horses have carried that weight to victory prior.
Snow Sky opened at $11 in the betting, but has come in to $10, with plenty of money flowing in. It has been one of only three horses to drop from their opening price – the other two being Fame Game ($11 – $10) and Gust Of Wind ($17 – $16).
Current favourite Mongolian Khan has drifted out from its opening quote of $4.20 to $4.50.
Updated Caulfield Cup market
1. Protectionist – $51
2. Snow Sky – $10 – Horsebetting recommends the $4.80 on offer at Crownbet.
3. Fame Game – $10
4. Our Ivanhowe – $26
5. Hokko Brave – $15
6. Mongolian Khan – $4.50
7. Trip To Paris – $31
8. Who Shot Thebarman – $26
9. Grand Marshal – $51
10. Royal Descent – $21
11. Volkstok’n’barrell – $21
12. Hauraki – $8
13. Lucia Valentina – $34
14. Rising Romance – $11
15. Magicool – $126
16. Gust Of Wind – $16
17. Set Square – $9
18. Magnapal – $41
19. Quest For More – $67
20. Complacent – $13
21. Dibayani – $41
22. Magic Hurricane – $21